Richard Thomas (December 30, 1744January 19, 1832) was an American politician from

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

who served as a

Federalist The term ''federalist'' describes several political beliefs around the world. It may also refer to the concept of parties, whose members or supporters called themselves ''Federalists''. History Europe federation In Europe, proponents of de ...

member of the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

from

Pennsylvania's 3rd congressional district Pennsylvania's third congressional district includes several areas of the city of Philadelphia, including West Philadelphia, most of Center City, and parts of North Philadelphia. It has been represented by Democrat Dwight Evans since 2019. With ...

from 1795 to 1801. He also served in the

Pennsylvania State Senate The Pennsylvania State Senate is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered ev ...

for the 9th Senatorial District from 1791 to 1793.

Early life and education

Thomas was born in West Whiteland Township in the

Province of Pennsylvania The Province of Pennsylvania, also known as the Pennsylvania Colony, was a British North American colony founded by William Penn after receiving a land grant from Charles II of England in 1681. The name Pennsylvania ("Penn's Woods") refers to W ...

and was educated at home by private teachers. He served in the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

as colonel of the First Regiment,

Chester County Chester County may refer to: * Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States * Chester County, South Carolina, United States * Chester County, Tennessee Chester County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, th ...

Volunteers of the Pennsylvania militia.

Career

Thomas became a member of the

American Philosophical Society The American Philosophical Society (APS), founded in 1743 in Philadelphia, is a scholarly organization that promotes knowledge in the sciences and humanities through research, professional meetings, publications, library resources, and communit ...

in 1771 and was later elected to the

for the 9th Senatorial District serving from 1791 to 1793. In 1793, he was appointed a brigadier-general of militia by Governor

Thomas Mifflin Thomas Mifflin (January 10, 1744January 20, 1800) was an American merchant, soldier, and politician from Pennsylvania, who is regarded as a Founding Father of the United States for his roles during and after the American Revolution. Mifflin wa ...

but declined to accept the role. He was elected as a

to the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Congresses, serving from March 4, 1795 to March 3, 1801. He engaged in agricultural pursuits and constructed

Ivy Cottage Ivy Cottage is a house in the grounds of Kensington Palace in London, England. It is a grace-and-favour property, originally housing servants. Princess Eugenie, and her husband, Jack Brooksbank Jack Christopher Stamp Brooksbank (born 3 Ma ...

Whitford Lodge The Whitford Lodge is a historic building located in Exton in West Whiteland Township, Pennsylvania, in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Politician and soldier Richard Thomas constructed the lodge in 1782. It is one of three surviving historic ...

, and Whitford Hall in West Whiteland Township. Thomas died in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

in 1832 and is buried at the Friends Western Burial Ground in Philadelphia.

Personal life

Thomas married Thomazine Downing, grand-daughter of Thomas Downing, founder of Downingtown, Pennsylvania.

References

The Political Graveyard
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, Richard 1744 births 1832 deaths 18th-century American politicians 19th-century American politicians Pennsylvania militiamen in the American Revolution Pennsylvania state senators Politicians from Chester County, Pennsylvania People of colonial Pennsylvania Federalist Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania Members of the American Philosophical Society